NEW ZEALAND- Two women experienced distress and embarrassment when they were reportedly removed from an Air New Zealand (NZ) Flight due to their perceived size, being advised they should have reserved two seats each.
Angel Harding and her companion were in the process of boarding their Air New Zealand (NZ) flight from Napier to Auckland (AKL) on Friday when Angel felt a sudden discomfort in her left arm.
Air New Zealand Removes Passengers From Flight
Upon investigation, she discovered a female flight attendant forcefully attempting to lower the armrest while communicating in a confrontational tone, citing the necessity for proper positioning before takeoff.
Their confusion escalated upon hearing an announcement instructing all passengers to disembark due to an “inconvenience.
“Ms. Harding explained to 1News that after the attendant concluded the call, she approached them and suggested, “You should have reserved four seats; each of you should have purchased two.”
The two then realized they were the cause of the “problem.”
After disembarking from the plane, both women, who required wheelchairs for medical reasons, were separated from the other passengers.
A representative from Air New Zealand accompanied them while their companion, a third woman seated separately, received assistance to board the flight again.
Airline Incident: Seeking Justice
They were informed that they would need to reschedule their flight, but due to high demand, the earliest available option was two days later, on Sunday.
Ms. Harding expressed confusion, as they had previously completed flights from Kerikeri to Auckland and then from Auckland to Napier without any issues.
She explained to the flight attendant that neither she nor her friend could afford two seats each, and she lacked family in the area to stay with. Subsequently,
Air New Zealand offered to cover their expenses for food, accommodation, and the rescheduled flights, granting them access to the Koru Lounge until they could board a later flight that day.
The women are currently pursuing compensation for the distress, humiliation, and trauma they experienced, alleging discrimination based on their size.
Ms. Harding speculated, “My thoughts are they took me off because of my build, because of my size – our size had a lot to do with it. They didn’t say it was. They said it was an inconvenience.”
Executive Insights
An Air New Zealand spokesperson stated that if a customer needs additional space and there is availability, staff will endeavor to accommodate them on the aircraft. However, the airline “strongly recommends” customers contact them before their flight to ensure a safe and comfortable journey.
“We are dedicated to treating all customers with respect and dignity, and we apologize for the inconsistent experience these customers encountered. We will continue to liaise directly with the customer to address their concerns.”
No specific legislation mandates larger-bodied passengers to book more than one flight seat in Australia and New Zealand. Some airlines may assign larger-bodied passengers to seats adjacent to empty ones if necessary.
The Australian Human Rights Commission has previously highlighted that a person with obesity who is charged extra for a flight may have grounds for claiming unlawful disability discrimination. However, the laws in this area remain ambiguous.
In Canada, individuals with obesity won the right to book two seats for the price of one following a Supreme Court ruling against Air Canada(AC) in 2008.
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